Be Warned: These are the 7 Most Dangerous U.S. Cities

The most dangerous U.S. cities might surprise you. The danger factor is based on the crime rate, especially violent crime.

You might think that cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are some of the most dangerous places to live. Based on the population of these large cities, the crime rate doesn’t reach the same levels as cities that are considered to be more dangerous. That said, Chicago does hit the ninth spot on the list, but you’ll be shocked at which cities make this top part of this list. If you’re considering a move, these might be the cities to avoid.

Memphis, Tennessee is the most dangerous city in the United States

Memphis is known for barbecue and country music, but it also has a crime rate that’s 237% higher than the national average. This city has a population of 628,127 people and 7,913 crimes per 100,000 people. To make matters worse, Memphis experienced an exceptionally high violent crime rate in 2022. Last year, there were 289 murders, 2,134 robberies, and 12,484 assaults. The most dangerous neighborhoods are Shelby-Forest Frayser, Downtown, Parkway Village-Oakhaven, and White Haven-Coro Lake.

St. Louis, Missouri, comes in second on this list

St. Louis is one of the most dangerous U.S. cities, with a crime rate that’s 234% higher than the national average. There are 239,210 people living in St. Louis, where there were 7,847 crimes per 100,000 people. During 2022, there were 263 murders, 1,242 robberies, and 4,278 assaults in this midwestern city last year. The most dangerous neighborhoods are Peabody-Darst-Webbe, Hamilton Heights, Walnut Park West, and College Hill. In addition to the violent crimes, there were 17,3999 property crimes reported in 2020.

Oakland, California might not be much of a surprise

Many understand that Oakland is a rough place to live, with gang violence running rampant. This city boasts a population of 433,823 and a crime rate that’s 175% higher than the national average. This equates to 6,459 crimes per 100,00 people. There were 5,714 violent crimes in 2022 which were broken down as 103 murders, 2,515 robberies, and 2,730 assaults. Most of these violent crimes are attributed to gang violence in the area. The most dangerous neighborhoods in Oakland are North Stonehurst, South Stonehurst, Caballo Hills, and South Prescott.

Albuquerque, New Mexico, is just as dangerous as Breaking Bad makes it out to be

One of the most dangerous U.S. cities was the centerpiece of Breaking Bad. Albuquerque has a population of 562,599 and a crime rate that’s 171% higher than the national average. In 2022, there were 80 murders, 1,439 robberies, and 5,592 assaults. Proper crime in Albuquerque is a huge problem, with 5,075 burglaries and 18,131 thefts in the city. The worst neighborhoods in this city are Quigley Park, La Mesa, Jackson Area, and Crestview Bluff.

Baltimore, Maryland is a dangerous city

With a population of 567,498 and a crime rate of 6,170 incidents per 100,000 people, Baltimore is the fifth most dangerous city in the country. In 2020 there were 9,532 violent crimes and 18,370 property crimes, making the chances of anyone being a crime victim 1 in 17. Similar to Oakland, much of the crime in the area can be attributed to gang and drug problems. The most dangerous neighborhoods are Cherry Hill, West Baltimore, Greenmount East, Fairfield Area, and Pulaski.

New Orleans, Louisiana is a troublesome city

Although New Orleans is the home of the French Quarter, Mardi Gras, and Voodoo, it’s also one of the most dangerous U.S. cities. The crime rate is 150% higher than the national average at 5,864 incidents per 100,000 people. New Orleans has a population of 376,971, and there were 5,221 violent crimes in the city in 2002. This breaks down into 201 murders, 1,106 robberies, and 3,200 assaults. There were also 18,098 reported incidents of property crime. The most dangerous neighborhoods are Lower 9th Ward, Wake Lake Forest, and Pines Village.

Detroit, Michigan is an expected city on this list

The terrible economic environment plaguing Detroit for the past few decades has led to a higher-than-average crime rate. Detroit shows a crime rate of 130% greater than the national average and a population of 632,464 people. There were 14,430 violent crimes in Detroit in 2022, with 330 murders, 1,850 robberies, and 11,565 assaults. The most dangerous neighborhoods are Franklin Park, Fiskhorn, Warrendale, Von Steuben, and Greensbriar.

Before making a move to a new city, you might want to learn how high that city ranks among the most dangerous U.S. cities.